From offering protection and emotional stability to bringing luck and prosperity, there are countless benefits of wearing gemstones based on your Chinese zodiac sign. Various cultures and communities have revered the powerful gemstones for centuries, and you’ll find many people and eminent personalities gushing about their love for the mystical rocks even today. In the Chinese zodiac cycle, every month has a lucky birthstone. So, as we enter the month of May, let’s discover the lucky stones and gems that work best for those born in this month.
There are two lucky birthstones for May-born folks — citrine and opal. Those born before May 5 should use citrine and, people whose birthdays fall after May 5 can use opal as the guiding stone.
Let’s dive deep into the benefits, significance and history of these stones for your consideration.
May birthstones: History and significance
Citrine
Citrine dates back to 1385 when it was used to refer to yellow gemstones and collected massively for ornamental purposes. The stone was used as a decorative gem in ancient Greece. Meanwhile, Scottish folk accentuated the handles of daggers and swords with it.
In ancient times, people believed that citrine worked as a calming, soothing stone which also helped manifest desires successfully. Therefore, Egyptians kept it as talismans and Roman priests set them in rings.
While citrine was highly treasured in earlier times due to its rarity, mineralogists found a way to produce lemony and golden honey hues of the stone with heat treatment making it widely available. So, it’s one of the most affordable and budget-friendly stones you’ll find in the market.
Apart from its addition to designer jewellery pieces, citrine is popular for its healing properties and for imparting joy to all who behold it.
Opal
The mystical-looking opal is one of the luckiest, most magical gemstones because it can flaunt all colours. Ancient Greeks held Opal in high regard as it was believed to protect them from diseases. Europeans too linked it with hope, purity, and truth. Lastly, the opal symbolised love and hope in ancient Rome. Opal stands as Australia’s national stone today and the country supplies almost 95% of the world’s opals.
It is widely popular in the jewellery market, used in everything from wedding rings, earrings to necklaces. People gift opal jewellery on various occasions like birthdays, anniversaries and even Christmas and Hanukkah. The stone brings good luck to its wearer and attracts forces that draw money.
Benefits of May birthstones
Citrine
Purges out negative energies: The stone wards off negative energies instead of absorbing them, helping with happiness, positivity, and romance. It’s also important in feng shui, attracting calmness and peace in the surrounding space. Plus, its beautiful yellow colour radiates light and happiness, accentuating any dull area in the house or office.
Improves focus and clarity: Citrine is an excellent meditation stone, providing mental clarity and focus. The stone helps the wearer manoeuvre through life’s difficulties with more strength. It revitalises the mind by enhancing concentration.
Health benefits: Apart from boosting the stamina of its wearer, citrine aids in curing ailments of the heart, liver and urinary system. It is known to detoxify the body and improve digestion.
It helps in gaining abundance: Also called the Merchant’s Stone or Success Stone, citrine draws in wealth and prosperity, further safeguarding the wearer from unruly desires and greed. It’s especially beneficial for people working in merchant banking, marketing, sports, wellness, or media industries.
Shop citrine jewellery here
Opal
Nurtures relationships: The stone brings benefits to dating life, increasing the mutual understanding between couples and heightening the feeling of love. It also provides stability and balance in a troubled marriage.
Improves decision-making ability: It enables the free flow of thoughts in the wearer’s mind and improves emotional stability which in turn nurtures decision-making abilities. Confusion and fickle mindedness will be at bay if you wear opal.
Helps attain a luxurious lifestyle: Venus, which is the ruling planet of opal, signifies luxury, richness, love and materialistic comforts. Wearing this stone would therefore lead to a luxuriously rich lifestyle and amplify the wearer’s social standing.
Boosts creativity: Opal is greatly beneficial for people experiencing creative blocks or lack of motivation. Wearing the stone builds creative expression, supports innovation, and gives an extra boost to unfurl your talent. It brings the best results for people in the field of entertainment, fashion as well as fine arts.
Very therapeutic: The black and fire opals help in navigating several psychological issues as well as overcoming sleep deprivation. People suffering from severe headaches and migraines can wear the pink opal stone to get some relief.
Shop opal jewellery here
Types of May birthstones
Citrine
One of the most precious members of the quartz family, citrine ranges from pale yellow to orangish brown hues. The majority of the gemstones available in the market today are heat-treated ones, with the colour differences determined by the amount of heat provided to each one. The natural, expensive variety of citrine has an even toned colour and any other stone showing orange or green undertones is an artificial citrine.
- Yellow citrine: Appearing remarkably like topaz, the light yellow colour of this citrine arises due to chemical impurities.
- Golden citrine: This is a triangular gemstone with golden hues which are a result of the iron that’s present in it.
- Madeira citrine: The most popular type of citrine, Madeira ranges from golden orange to reddish-brown colour. It mostly helps in boosting confidence and maintaining a positive mindset.
- Fire citrine: The deep orange citrine is one of the most beautiful gemstones possessing rejuvenating properties. It attracts good fortune and luck.
- Palmeria citrine: Coming in a bright orange hue, this stone is helpful in boosting stamina and energy levels.
Opal
While opals come in a variety of colours spread across various geographical locations, let’s look at the five main types.
- Black opal: This is the hot-selling variety of opal, which is also very precious due to its rarity. The stone isn’t black in colour but has a darker tone in comparison to the white opal.
- White opal: With translucent or pale white hues, this type is very common and doesn’t reflect colours. They can still be extremely attractive, given you find an excellent quality stone.
- Fire opal: Found in yellow, orange and red hues, the fire opal is most found in Mexico.
- Boulder opal: A precious type of opal, boulder is attached to a host rock which makes it strikingly beautiful. It can be light or dark based on the appearance of the stone when viewed from the surface.
- Crystal opal: It’s a transparent to semitransparent stone with a clear background. With a blue and violet play of colour, this gemstone has a beautiful display, and you’ll often find it set in dangle earrings.
Hong Kong has plenty of options to fulfil your gemstone needs. You can hop onto the e-commerce platforms like Omsa, All About You, Moon Conversations as well as HeyStone and grab your pick.
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